Robust mission-driven responses to infectious disease threats delivered by the Abbott pandemic defense coalition
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Emerging infectious disease outbreaks present a continuous threat globally, and enhanced capacity to detect and mitigate these pathogens is urgently needed. DESIGN: The Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition (APDC) launched in 2021 as a first of its kind global public-private partnership dedicated to early detection, characterization, and response to emerging disease threats with the mission to reduce the burden of existing epidemics and the risk of future pandemics. The APDC has the capacity to both detect emerging infectious agents and respond by rapidly developing and deploying prototype diagnostics to assist in assessing the magnitude of the threat. RESULTS: To date, the APDC network, with sites on 5 continents, has evaluated over 39,000 specimens from enrolled patients leading to the identification and characterization of 6 outbreaks and 23 previously unknown viruses that affect humans. The network has also trained 128 scientists in epidemiology, diagnostics, sequencing, and bioinformatics. As a result, the APDC has published 113 manuscripts, which are highlighted herein. CONCLUSIONS: As emerging pathogens present increasing challenges to public health in a closely connected global community, the APDC is uniquely positioned to continue to serve a key role in pandemic preparedness.
Authors: Mary A. Rodgers, Francisco Averhoff, Michael G. Berg, Mark Anderson, Carolyn Strobel, Julissa Inostroza, James Moy, Jorge Mera, Paul J. Utz, Scott C. Weaver, Charles Y. Chiu, Judith C. De Arcos, Joshua J. Anzinger, Jean H. Henrys, Juan P. Hernandez-Ortiz, Katherine Torres, Maria Cassia Mendes-Correa, Natalia J.N. Gonçalves, Esper Kallas, Souleymane Mboup, Alhaji U. N’jai, Jean C. Mbanya, Tulio de Oliveira, Pontiano Kaleebu, Manal El-Sayed, Maia Alkhazashvili, Erum Khan, Rifa T. Khan, Yupin Suputtamongkol, Jorge E. Osorio, Gavin A. Cloherty
Institutions: Abbott (United States), Rush University, Cherokee Nation, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, University of California, San Francisco, Universidad de Guadalajara, University of the West Indies, Quisqueya University, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidade de São Paulo, DASA (Brazil), Instituto Butantan, Institute of Health Research, Epidemiological Surveillance and Training, University of Sierra Leone, Université de Yaoundé I, Stellenbosch University, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Ain Shams University, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Aga Khan University, YR Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,900
Funder: Abbott Laboratories
OpenAlex ID: W4415743557